IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge to spin to a start in Kawasaki

CarloAthletes will be targeting a share of a US$202,000 prize pot when the second edition of the IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge commences at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Kawasaki, Japan, on Sunday 8 May 2011.

Koji Murofushi, Japan’s 2004 Olympic champion, and Betty Heidler of Germany, the reigning World silver medallist, won the inaugural season-long challenge in 2010, each collecting the US$30,000 first place prize. Murofushi will begin his season-long quest to defend his title in Kawasaki.

The 2011 IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge will consist of nine meetings giving seven scoring opportunities for men and six for women.

The number of participants in each meeting will be at least eight with a maximum of 12 athletes.

In order to be ranked in the final Overall Standings, an athlete must have participated in at least three events. An athlete can participate in as many meets as they like, but only the best three results will score for the ranking.

The overall men’s and women’s winners of the IAAF Hammer Throw Challenge will be the athletes with the highest score by adding together their three best performances in the Challenge.

Any athlete achieving a new (and ratified) World record will be awarded a bonus of 1 metre to be added to the total results. In the case of an equalled World record, the bonus will be 0.50m.

In the case of a tie in the ranking, it will be resolved in favour of the athlete who has achieved the best performance during any of the meetings of the challenge.